EROFIO Group 3D Prints First Part on GE Additive Concept Laser M Line

EROFIO Group, an industrial molding sector company and user of GE Additive’s direct metal laser melting (DMLM) technology, was selected to test and put the GE Additive Concept Laser M Line through its paces ahead of its commercial readiness later this year, the companies report.

Less than three months since receiving and installing an M Line system at its 6,500 m² mold-making facility in Batalha, central Portugal, a team led by EROFIO Group’s metal additive manufacturing leader, Luís Santos has successfully 3D-printed its first Mold Core.

The Core was manufactured using M300 hot work tool steel—a material often used for the production of injection molding and die-casting tool inserts with conformal cooling, as well as functional components. The Core contains more than eight independent, internal conformal cooling channels, stretching over 8 m in length and between 5 to 8 mm in diameter.

Three Months From Installation to First Print

Santos and his team already developed for the Concept Laser M2 Series 5—and made only very minimal changes to adapt it for the M Line system.

After remote optimization support from the GE Additive team in Lichtenfels, the part was successfully printed on its first attempt, over a 6-day period in May 2021.

“Having the first part come off our system is a great milestone and we’re looking forward to supporting the wider team as the solution comes to market and beyond,” says Luís Santos, EROFIO Group.

“We have a solid working relationship with the team at EROFIO that goes back well over a decade. As we near a critical phase in commercializing the M LINE system, we specifically sought out a trusted partner to gain early installation experience, data and honest customer feedback,” says Wolfgang Lauer, Concept Laser M Line product manager, GE Additive.

“We fully expected the first part to be printed on the M Line to go well.  And when it did there was a rush of excitement felt across the entire team here in Lichtenfels. Work continues here in Germany on the M Line, ahead of the launch, and we will factor in additional feedback from the team at EROFIO,” says Jan Siebert, general manager, laser technologies, GE Additive.

“It is critically important that when GE Additive brings new solutions to market, it can tangibly and immediately demonstrate business impact. Our M Line system operates at higher levels of reliability and repeatability, meeting customers’ needs from day one. This is not a science experiment and we are not developing laboratory equipment,” he adds.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.